Don’t be Afraid to Get Lost

The truthful answer is, I didn't figure out what I wanted to do. Some people are lucky, they have a direction and they follow it diligently, loving every step of the process. I never felt particularly drawn to any one thing. I liked to write, I enjoyed film making and music, but I was too practical to think any of those things could be a career. So what did I do? I forced myself into a nursing program that I didn't enjoy. Not what I wanted to do, but practical. It made sense on paper. The result? Failure. To the third degree. Why? Because jumping headfirst into college isn't the answer for everybody. This grand myth that you need to go to college and graduate to get a good career is just that. More and more kids are falling into deep debt and coming out of college with no practical skills to do anything. It's worse for those of us who started out questioning, unsure. My advice to you would be to allow yourself the space and time to make mistakes, make choices and learn more about yourself in the process. There are so many wonderful exciting things that can be done. Take a gap year. See the world. Try out different things to see what you have a taste for. If college is what you want to do, sample classes until you find one or two you enjoy, usually this will lead you in a direction. Reject the idea that you have to be talented to be fulfilled. It's not about what you're good at. It's about what you enjoy doing. Life is short, and you have so much of it in front of you. Learn how fill every one of those moments with glorious mistakes, experiences and joy. That's the best advice I can give.